Using Action Research to Improve Classroom Teaching Practice

• In Event: Rethinking the Curriculum, Teacher Education and Professional Development

Proposal

This paper reports on the part of an intervention study in Tanzania that involved four teachers in a community of learners to investigate ways for enhancing their capacity to engage in teacher-led professional learning. Specifically, this study examined the teachers’ knowledge and skills to carry out action research to address classroom pedagogical challenges. In recent years, action research has continued to be used by teachers to facilitate their professional learning and classroom pedagogical practices (Ulla, Barrera, Acompanado, 2017). As a form of professional learning, action research enables teachers to discover existing problematic classroom situations and develop workable pedagogies to rectify the situations (Mahani, 2012; Ulla et al., 2017). This practice makes teachers researchers because they analytically investigate their own teaching and learning practices for the purpose of modifying them (Norton, 2019). While teachers across the world are encouraged to conduct classroom-based action research (Khan, Grijalva & Enriquez-Gates, 2019; Ulla et al., 2017), the practice is not common with Tanzanian teachers (Mwakabenga, 2018). Indeed, most of the teachers have a blurred idea of how to conduct action research, regardless of learning or hearing about it during and after their initial teacher education (Burns, 2010).

There are different classroom challenges that cannot be effectively addressed unless they are precisely identified. In Tanzania, for instance, poor students’ academic achievement is commonly attributed to ineffective teaching skills (UNESCO, 2017). Lack of teachers’ understandings of learner-centered approaches and inability to conduct the formative assessment is also claimed to be among the leading challenges affecting classroom teaching (Komba & Lupeja, 2021). Moreover, a lack of clarity of what and who is responsible for poor academic achievement tends to largely affect students’ learning. It is important for teachers to explore such teaching challenges and come up with precise solutions in context.

An inquiry cycle of professional learning was embedded in the collaborative action research design as a framework to help teachers develop some competencies on the use of action research. While the teachers engaged in the process of learning, data were collected to track changes in their knowledge and skills on the subject. These four teachers, who taught Social Studies in one secondary school in Tanzania, worked collaboratively in all action research phases. With the help of the facilitator, the teachers identified specific teaching-learning problems, prepared the action plan, implemented the plan, observed, and assessed while reflecting on and in the process. Using data collected through one-on-one interviews, planning meetings, observation, reflective journals, and focus group discussion, this paper answers four questions: a) What do teachers understand about the concept of action research? b) How do teachers use action research to identify and address problematic situations affecting teaching and learning? c) What is the impact of teachers’ actions in classroom teaching and learning? d) How do teachers manage to use action research to address classroom challenges?

The main findings of the study indicated that the four teachers were not aware of the concept of action research nor involved in any research activities prior to the intervention. As we proceeded with the action research process, the teachers realized that they have been practicing some sorts of inquiry activities without knowing it. So, the teachers learned how to conduct systematic research activities that could bring scientific solutions to instructional problems. Secondly, at the commencement of the study, all four teachers were guided to identify problematic areas affecting their classroom practices and they were able to establish research objectives that aligned with the overall objective of the intervention. As expected, none of the teachers had a clear thought of what could be a real problem that challenged their teaching and learning. As a result, the teachers blamed students for being the only cause for poor classroom practices, until their action research helped them discover that their teaching styles and attitudes were also contributing to the problem. Thirdly, the findings also indicated that by engaging in action research teachers could impact student learning. When they tried alternative techniques and motivated students to learn, there were some improvements in students’ responses to their learning. Finally, it was realized that teachers needed support in terms of knowledge, skills, and change mindset for them to engage in action research. Teachers’ awareness, commitment, and time for such activity enabled teachers to participate in action research. Overall, the findings suggest that teachers need to be equipped with action research skills to help them address existing problems in the classroom situation.

The most striking result to emerge from the data is that although the four teachers were doing formal action research for the first time, over the course of the study they were able to demonstrate mastery of basic research skills and modify classroom practices. Burns (2010) also observed that “action research can also seem like a ‘scary’ thing to do if you are more used to classroom teaching; it takes time and it might mean making changes that take us out of our comfort zone” (p. 6). These teachers are supposed to have learned about action research during their initial teacher education, but they do not practice it. Similarly, Ulla et al. (2017) in the Philippines found that most teachers conducted research activities only when they were in Masters's program because they were required to. These teachers lack knowledge on how to conduct a systematic inquiry to address the students’ problems (Cunningham, 2011). Thus, equipping teachers with action research procedural skills in the course of their routine work can help them to continue addressing problematic situations or issues affecting their classroom practices.

Therefore, it is recommended that schools develop some mechanisms for promoting action research and encourage teachers to practice it. While the findings from the study cannot be generalized to other school contexts, the experiences of the four teachers provide some insights to teachers and educational leaders on how action research can be carried out to impact classroom practices and student academic achievement.

Author

• Rehema Mwakabenga, Michigan State University